He took deep breaths as he smiled, savouring the steady growth and mastery of his skills. He also knew that until he encountered a mythical-tier user, he wouldn't truly understand the strength of such opponents. From what he'd heard, he would eventually be trained by his father's subordinates and later at Midvest Academy. Though he welcomed the opportunity to learn, he was far from foolish enough to challenge a mystic-tier opponent. After all, the system held no data on them, and he was too cautious—and admittedly prideful—to let his parents or anyone know the full extent of his abilities.
'I'm built like a coward. If need be, I don't mind taking thousands of years to level up. I've got all the time in the world. Why risk barely winning hard fights when I can bully weak people and level up slowly?'
Dante looked at Vexion, whose eyes shone with admiration and unwavering loyalty. He chuckled as he noticed the other elves staring at him in fearful awe—as if he were nearly a deity.
Lexa's body trembled. She had only ever experienced such overwhelming power from two individuals: her father—a Sage on the verge of becoming a True Sage—and Octov, the enemy who had once injured and almost killed her father and who was even closer to True Sagehood if not already one. These were beings of immense influence, true powerhouses in the world. And yet, the aura emanating from the young lord now was far, far more potent than anything she had ever felt.
That realization hit her hard.
Had she been unknowingly walking beside a being greater than a True Sage all this time?
Her face paled, and a wave of nausea swept over her. She put it down to the fact that he rarely released an aura like that—only once had he unleashed a skill with sage-like destructive potential.
After all, Sages were the emperors of empires—even in mid-sized realms—and in the grander scheme, it was rumored that four to ten True Sages presided over the mightiest tribes and empires, with a Legendary being reigning as the Grand Emperor.
Yet Lexa knew little about these legendary beings—indeed, almost nothing about the True Sages—only that they existed.
Dante shook his head and turned to Vexion.
"Get everyone closer."
He pointed upward.
"Teleporting a group is annoying when people are all over the place."
Vexion nodded crisply.
"As Master commands."
She activated her ability to "pull" the group upward. Once they were at a sufficient height, she balanced that pull with a gentle push, keeping them suspended in midair as though they were standing on an invisible platform that lifted them with every step they took.
Dante cast a quick glance at the assembled group before activating his Spatial Body.
A strange, otherworldly sensation smothered them. Almost immediately, all—except Lexa, her sister, and Vexion—felt disoriented and woozy, as though they were caught in a liminal space, not entirely "in the world."
Dante began to walk, and they followed in silence.
In mere seconds, they appeared at the edge of the Capital.
Pausing, Dante fixed his gaze in a specific direction, then raised his hand toward Vexion.
In that instant, her body was engulfed by a dense white fog suspended in eternal darkness—a luminous shroud that transformed everything it touched.
Her mind reeled as she found herself transported back to the moment when she had been carrying the elves, right behind her master. He had extended Abyss Veil over her to keep anyone from being able to gain information about her.
Confusion etched onto her face.
Dante saw it immediately.
"I covered your tracks."
He waved a hand casually.
"Skills. Identity. Race. Whatever."
"Nobody's figuring shit out unless I want them to."
Vexion blinked.
"And before you start overthinking it, I don't care that you're a half-elf."
He shrugged.
"That's not the problem."
"I've got the same thing on myself."
His gaze drifted into the distance.
"Sooner or later we're gonna piss off people stronger than us."
A grin spread across his face.
"Some we'll kill."
"Some we'll outsmart."
"Some we'll come back and beat later."
His shoulders rose and fell.
"Being strong doesn't give you permission to be an idiot."
He pointed at himself.
"Hell, my own family barely knows anything about me."
Then he pointed at her.
"You probably know more than they do."
"Got it?"
Lexa, hearing his words, felt a renewed pang of jealousy.
Why does the young lord care for her so much? He just met her—could it be simply because she is strong?
Meanwhile, Vexion's heart warmed with a comforting sensation. She blushed and offered a shy smile.
"As Master commands."
Dante's gaze lingered on her, while internally his thoughts took a more sardonic turn.
Why is she blushing and acting all teenage-crush mode?
Damn.
Don't tell me she's a pedo.
Is she into kids?
Or is it just me she finds appealing?
Turning away, Dante looked again in a particular direction.
His hands plunged into the very fabric of space as he searched for something.
When he pulled, he encountered unexpected resistance.
A moment later he chuckled.
"Relax."
He rolled his eyes.
"I've got your princesses."
"If I wanted them dead, they'd already be dead."
"Stop looking like you're about to piss yourselves."
At his command, the two whose names he had called were swiftly hoisted into the shared space where Dante and the rest of the elves hovered.
Dante chuckled as he observed the fear on the two elves.
He wondered who Lexa had in her company for the rescue mission—but to think it was only two dark elves. They were decently leveled, both having Level 0 Legendary-tier skills.
Dante suspected they had been hiding nearby.
He knew they wouldn't simply enter the capital then leave a little girl running around alone with no backup.
The two appeared quite young, perhaps in their late teens or early twenties.
Then again, powerful beings could alter their appearance.
Dante himself could still look thirteen even if he were a thousand years old.
Kai and Lee were both young men clad in black martial robes. Their outfits, reminiscent of ninja garb, were neither too loose nor too tight. Their faces were partially concealed by scarves, and their short black hair framed eyes that shone with a natural luster.
Notably, they were both much taller than Dante.
Dante surveyed the secluded area they had been hiding in.
Before he could speak, both Kai and Lee suddenly leaped back and drew their daggers.
Dante smirked.
"Boy! Let go of our people and our princesses!" Kai shouted.
Dante stared at them for a moment.
Then he started laughing.
"Wow."
"You two really are idiots."
He pointed at the space around them.
"If I can drag you in here without you noticing, what makes you think I couldn't kill you without you noticing?"
He clicked his tongue.
"The fact you're still breathing should've been your first clue that I don't care enough to kill you."
His eyes narrowed.
"And I literally called you by name."
"Use your heads."
"You were safe the second you got pulled in here."
He paused.
"Well..."
A smirk appeared.
"Mostly safe."
"You're starting to annoy me a little."
Kai and Lee paused as they observed their compatriots.
The pure elves looked relieved.
The two princesses looked annoyed, worried, and embarrassed.
"Uncle Kai, Uncle Lee, please calm yourselves!" Lexa quickly interjected. "The young lord hasn't meant us any harm... well, not entirely, but he has no intention of harming us. He's a kind man who saved us."
Dante's expression turned thoughtful.
After a moment, he nodded. She was right. He was pretty kind at least by his standards .Smiling calmly, he waited for the pair to settle down.
Lee then spoke.
"If that is the case, may you please let our people and our princesses go? You've brought them to us—that's enough."
Dante immediately clicked his tongue.
"Hold on."
He folded his arms.
"You weren't actually planning on taking everyone and leaving, were you?"
He pointed at himself.
"Where's my reward? I didn't spend all this time helping people out of the goodness of my heart." A grin spread across his face. "Well... not entirely. Lexa already knows, I don't do charity."
At that, Lee and Kai assumed battle stances once more.
"I knew it—you despicable—"
Before they could finish, a terrifying aura spread around them, they flinched Their resistance crumbled and the apprehension in the two dark elves grew into genuine dread.
They were a tiny bit fucked.